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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30079014">Dear past Zuko</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiliVirgo/pseuds/LiliVirgo'>LiliVirgo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sokka/Zuko Week 2021 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gay Zuko (Avatar), M/M, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:54:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>565</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30079014</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiliVirgo/pseuds/LiliVirgo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zuko writes a letter to his past self about his journey.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sokka/Zuko Week 2021 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2209554</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dear past Zuko</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Motivation who? Today and yesterday wrote 1,500 words for my PhD which has two and a half years left but struggled with a blank screen for today. Inspiration? Never heard of her. </p><p>Please take this fluffy rather naff attempt but I decided I wanted something short and sweet to at least complete the week - I'm no author so it's about small steps!</p><p>(Also happy Young Carers Action Day!)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>
  <span>Day 3: Dear past Zuko</span>
</h1><p> </p><p>
  <span><strike>Tea or Coffee Shop</strike> /// <strong>Friends to Lovers </strong></span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dear Zuko,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hi, Zuko here. Well, I guess you know that already. Our handwriting is pretty… unique. So I read this thing about writing to your teenage self to show how far you’ve come and I guess I’m giving it a go. No doubt I’d be rolling my eyes at this but, you’ll be surprised how far we come. It’s almost like we’ve had a whole trilogy of stuff happen to us. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>We haven’t seen Ozai in years - it’s been great. Uncle took us in and we help out at the tea shop while studying literature. You have an interview for a PhD grant tomorrow. Well, I do. Yes, I’m very aware I should probably be going over the proposals right now. But imposter syndrome is a bitch. So I guess you can tell that things are getting better and going okay.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Actually, I think I’m exactly where I wanted to be when I was 14. Adulting is hard but I often have to remind myself how much I wanted to get to be independent, study what I love and have free time for friends and hobbies. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Friends. Remember Sokka? The kid from the other school? Yeah, the one you treat really badly whenever you see? The one I treated badly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well, I worked out why I was so horrible to him. And then how to get him to forgive me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When I left Sozin’s Academy, I stopped bumping into the Omashu crowd, so we didn’t see each other until we were 18. He brought Toph - you remember Toph? Turns out they (they use they/them - they’re agender) moved schools because they got fed up of their parents, but anyway, Toph and Sokka came to Uncle’s tea shop. Sokka recognised me and just full on freaked out at first, but turns out Toph still gets their way the way they used to. They kept coming back and I apologised and we became pretty close. Soon Sokka was coming in on his own. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>We ended up going to university together - it was pretty cool. I’ve really found myself. The history of language courses? Wish I’d paid more attention at GCSE to be honest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When we graduated, Sokka got an internship on the other side of the country, it really sucked and that’s when I realised, he was more than just my best friend. So when Sokka got a job offer in Manchester, I applied for PhDs at the universities there. If I get one, I’m going to tell him how I feel. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I suppose this letter is less reflection and more confident building. But even if we only wants to be my friend, I have him in my life and I’m comfortable with my sexuality. I’ve even been to a pride march. It was loud and I struggled after a few hours, but Ozai would have been fuming to know. Uncle’s put pride flags up in the shop. You - teenage me - would hate it. But it gets better when you learn how to love instead of hate. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I should go prepare. Wish me luck, past me.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>P.S - Interview went well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>P.P.S - THEY OFFERED ME THE PhD</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>P.P.P.S - Sokka kissed me, we’re moving in together.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>P.P.P.P.S - This is Sokka, you said yes to me. </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
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